May 1, 2006
Eye On The Road, Day One
Sharyn Alfonsi Hits The Road To Chart Pain At The Pump
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Play CBS Video Video 'Eye On The Road': Day 1 Only On The Web: CBS News has kicked off the weeklong series "Eye On The Road." Sharyn Alfonsi and her crew will be driving cross-country to see how higher gasoline prices are changing America.
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Video President Bush's Gas Plan CBS News RAW: In a speech at the Renewable Fuels Association Summit in Washington, President Bush spoke out against gas price gouging and called for energy companies to make sacrifices.
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From left to right, Louise Watkins, Cas Zajdel, Laura Schulkins, Kathy Miller and Di Coy are Meals on Wheels volunteers in Ft. Myers, Fla. (CBS/Mark LaGanga)
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CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi (CBS)
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Interactive Gas Prices State-by-state averages, tips to improve mileage and a look at what fuels prices at the pump.
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Interactive CBS Gas Price Patrol Follow CBS News' Cross-Country Gas Price Patrol with our interactive map, photo essays, road logs and video archive.
On The Road To Orlando
We’re on the road, headed from Miami to Orlando. It's day one of our road trip, and our three vehicles are fueled up and ready to go. We're filled up too — with what I can only describe as a nauseating/delicious breakfast from IHOP. As I write this blog from the passenger seat, I am struggling to stay awake. The Florida sunshine could easily send me into a serious pancake-induced food coma, but we have a lot of miles to cover.
Today we’re working on a story about how skyrocketing gas prices are putting the squeeze on seniors on fixed incomes. It's not just the added cost of filling up their cars that's hurting them. Health care costs also are going up as a result of higher gas prices.
We met Hopal Morrison, an amazing home health care provider. She works 20 hours a day, seven days a week, driving more than 300 miles a day for Visiting Angels. Morrison says she never used to ask her clients to reimburse her for her travel, but now she has to — and it hurts. "Gas prices are killing me!" she told us. "I hate asking clients to reimburse me; they are like family and they're not used to it."
Morrison says she worries that many of her clients who are on fixed incomes can't afford the extra cost.
It's surprising just how much gas prices are affecting even those who don't drive. We spent the day with some Meals on Wheels volunteers in Fort Myers, Fla. Most of the volunteers are seniors, on fixed incomes, and now many of them can’t afford to volunteer. Meals on Wheels is losing drivers and is having trouble getting food to clients who are homebound. We met Cyndi Osterhause, who is wheelchair-bound and relies on Meals on Wheels to eat. She says if the organization has to cut back on deliveries, she would certainly eat less.
It makes me appreciate the full tank of gas and — even the nauseating feeling of a full breakfast. A high-class problem to have, right?
I hope you'll watch our story tonight on the CBS Evening News and follow along on the Web. With any luck, we’ll be in Orlando by 6:30 tonight. See you then!
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